Hold Your Breath -- A Demyx Fic -- Part 1
by Emi Hikari
Summary: Where did Demyx come from? Who was he before he was a Nobody? That's the mindset this saga has. Part 1 takes us to Calcutta, India, where a sassy British girl makes her mark in the world...and in Ymed's life.
1. Chapter 1: Effort

Chapter 1: Effort

Memo: Finally! It feels like it's been forever and a day planning this story! I'm really excited to finally get to this point, and I also hope that you all come to fall in love with this tale I'm about to tell you. Enough talk-have at you! ;)

At five years old, Lillian was barely big enough for her own airplane seat. Her feet didn't reach the floor yet, and her mother, Fanny, had to hold onto the girl's seatbelt on takeoff. And of course, her father, Jack, just smiled down at his baby girl, telling her everything would be all right.

"I'm hungry," Lillian complained after an hour or so. Fanny sighed through her nose.

"We'll have dinner soon," she reassured her impatient daughter. "Just wait."

The little blonde made a face up at her mother, near scowling. It's not that she was angry; there were just a lot of things she still did not quite understand.

"Look, little lady, you can see the clouds from here," Jack said, opening the curtain on the tiny window. Unbuckling her seatbelt, Lillian crawled onto her father's lap, nearly pressing her face against the glass. "Are you scared?"

"Only babies are scared of clouds," she replied, plopping back down in her seat. Jack chuckled to himself as Lillian settled back into her seat.

Jackson Breech was a successful man, and one with incurable wanderlust, at that. He was usually quite carefree, but he was willing to do whatever it took to improve the quality of his life and his career. Being born and bred in England his entire life, upon being asked to transfer to Calcutta, India, for an extended period, Jack could not refuse. And so the trio uprooted.

Upon landing, Fanny once again held onto Lillian's oversized seatbelt, and the five year old awoke from her deep sleep, disoriented and without understanding.

"Get up, sleepy girl," Jack told his daughter, who rubbed her eyes furiously, as if in denial she had ever been asleep. "We're here-India."

"Will this take a long time?" Lillian asked. Fanny sighed, shaking her head.

"Lillian, we've moved," she told the child, unbuckling her seatbelt. "This is your new home now."

"Why? Can't we go back to England?"

"Maybe someday."

Lillian said nothing, still plagued with inexplicable sleepiness. Led by her parents, she walked off of the plane, the dense humidity of India greeting her. There were many people in the airport, and not that many of them looked like the people in England. Some of them were wearing rather strange clothing, unlike anything she had ever seen before.

"Jack! Over here!"

A tall, dark-skinned man in a suit was approaching them with large strides. He was smiling brightly and waving to Jack, who immediately returned the greeting.

"It's been a while," the man said, shaking Jack's hand enthusiastically.

"That it has, Amrik," Jack replied, taking the man's hands in his own. "This is my wife, Fanny. And this is Lillian."

"What a charming girl," Amrik said, crouching down to Lillian's level. "My name is Amrik. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you," Lillian echoed, still drowsy. It all felt as though she were in a dream.

"Well, Amrik, if you would be so kind-"

"Right, it's just this way…"

The four of them pushed their way through the crowds, and soon they were outside in the warm sunlight. There seemed to be just as many people outside walking around as there had been in the airport. It was just as loud, for certain.

"Come along, Lillian, hurry," Fanny urged the girl, who was unintentionally dragging her feet. There was just so much to see…it was overwhelming, but not in a bad way. In fact, it seemed so dream-like that Lillian felt as though she could do anything.

Along with Amrik and her parents, Lillian sat squished in a compact car, holding her backpack on her lap. Her bright brown eyes wandered to the window, gazing at the blurred scenery. She was amazed, even though she still didn't understand what was going on. Perhaps it was in that moment that her wanderlust was born.

For also in that moment, Lillian felt a strange sense of familiarity. She was too young to understand it; after all, there are even some people who go their whole lives without realizing this feeling fully. But she would become one of the few to understand the connections that we make are bonds that have no limit. This sense of familiarity would come to be a well-recognized one.

That same feeling did not return until a week later.

"I don't want to go to school," Lillian whined, scrunching up her face. "I want to go back home soon."

"Stop that, Lillian," Fanny sighed, straightening Lillian's uniform. "You would have had to go to school this year in England, too."

"But they look like me. And they sound like me."

"Lillian, listen to me very carefully." Crouched down, Fanny made Lillian look her in the eyes. "Just because you aren't in England doesn't mean you aren't home. You have to make a place your home. Do you understand me?" Lillian didn't respond. "The people here can be your friends, too. But you have to let them."

"…I understand," Lillian finally mumbled, looking a little disgruntled still.

"Right, well…" Fanny stood upright as Jack entered the room. "…Oh. You're about to leave?"

"I am," Jack replied, nodding. "Shall I take her?"

"If you don't mind."

"Sure, why not?" Jack winked at Lillian, who brightened a bit in response. "Are you up for it, little lady?"

Lillian nodded enthusiastically, practically skipping to her father's side.

"Please don't forget your things," Fanny called after her daughter, holding her backpack and lunch. "Goodness, this _is_ a bit overwhelming, isn't it? I haven't the foggiest what to expect. I just hope it's a good school…"

"Amrik recommended it; I trust his opinion more than my own," Jack assured his wife, smiling. "And I'm sure we'll know if something bad happens."

Fanny chuckled, nodding.

"Right, let's go, Papa!" Lillian shouted, snatching her father's hand and dragging him along.

Lillian's school was very close to the Breech's new house, only a couple of blocks away. From the house, Jack could easily take a bus or cab to his workplace. But today, he didn't mind walking with his daughter, who seemed to have cheered up since her lecture.

"So where shall we go today, Daddy?" Lillian asked, swinging her father's arm. Jack's face fell a bit.

"Lillian, you have to go to school today," he told her kindly.

"But it's going to be so boring!"

Jack chuckled quietly. "I highly doubt that." Shaking his head, he looked down at his daughter's bright eyes. "Now you listen to your papa! School is a fantastic place, and you can make it fun! Just like snapping your fingers!" He snapped with his free hand.

Pouting a bit, Lillian tried to imitate him, but she produced no sound.

"I can't do it," she said quietly, her frown deepening.

"All things take time and effort, my little one. And things that need effort are always worth the time!"

Within another minute, the two reached the front gates of Lillian's elementary school.

"Now, be a good girl today," Jack said, smiling at Lillian, who pursed her lips. The gesture made her look older than she really was. "And most of all, have fun. You're going to make lots of friends here, and even more smiles."

"But I have to use effort," she responded.

"That's right."

Beaming up at her father, Lillian nodded.

"Right! I'll try!"

"That's my girl!"

Before she left her father's side, Lillian gave him one last hug and kiss, and then turned on her heels toward the old building. Again, a sense of strange familiarity filled her from head to toe.

"You're new here, aren't you?"

Lillian looked up to see a young woman approaching her. The woman's eyes were kind, and her skin was the same color as caramel. She had spoken English as smoothly as any Englishwoman.

"Is your name Miss Breech?" the woman asked. When Lillian nodded, the woman smiled, revealing two rows of glistening white teeth. "Good, I'm glad you've arrived safely! Welcome to your new school, Miss Breech!"

The woman beckoned Lillian to follow her, and as they walked into the main building of Julien Day School, Lillian could not shake the feeling that she had been here before.


	2. Chapter 2: Foreigners

Chapter 2: Foreigners

Memo: Man, do I know those feels, Lillian…do I know those feels. XD Anyway, welcome to chapter 2! There's much more dialogue from here on out, fyi! And also, this story will be entirely written in third-person POV. I have finished my second-person and first-person fics! …Wow. That's really hard for me to believe. *gets emotional*

Lillian was the only blonde in her first grade class, but she was surprised to find that she was not the only foreigner. They were easy to find-there was another boy with dark brown hair and pale skin a few seats in front of her, and another girl with long, light brown hair two seats to her right.

"Has everyone found their desk?" the teacher asked, looking around the room. It was the same woman who had helped Lillian earlier that morning. "It seems so. Well, good morning, all! I will be your teacher this year. You may call me Ms. Mitra..."

It didn't take long for Lillian to get bored, despite Ms. Mitra's enthusiasm and the new surroundings she could take in. She wondered briefly if they would go home early.

"Um…"

Lillian lifted her chin from her palm and turned toward the timid voice. Her deskmate was looking at her with curious eyes.

"Yes?" Lillian responded, confused.

"…Ms. Mitra said to introduce ourselves…so…um…"

"I'm Lillian," Lillian said, brightening a bit. "I'm English."

"Eh? Oh, um… My name is Sarasvati." Lillian looked at the girl blankly. "…Just call me Sara." Nod. "It's nice to meet you, um, Li-…um…"

Sara pressed a hand over her lips nervously. Her large brown eyes looked at Lillian almost apologetically.

"What's the matter?" Lillian asked.

"Your name, I-…"

"Oh…you can't say it?"

"I-I'm sorry…"

Lillian just laughed. "Don't be sorry! You can just give me a short name, too."

"Eh, um…" Sara thought for a moment. "…Do you mind if I call you Jalela?"

"…OK, but what does it mean?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm curious, that's all." Lillian smiled, and Sara's face softened, too. "You're terribly nervous, aren't you?"

Sara hung her head. "My English isn't…so great," she admitted. "But…anyway, um…your name means 'water goddess.' Because, um…your hair…reminds me of a princess."

Lillian absentmindedly touched one of her locks of blonde hair.

"Then…Jalela is wonderful!" she exclaimed, making Sara beam with the same enthusiasm. "And it's all right if you don't speak English. I'll teach you everything!"

Before long, Lillian found herself outside in the school's courtyard, eating her lunch and enjoying recess. Sara was seated next to her, her dark brown eyes wandering the crowds of children.

"Do you know where England is?" Lillian asked her, pushing her long blonde pigtails over her shoulder.

"Of course," Sara answered, smiling. But it was far from a smile of happiness. "Everyone in India knows."

"Oh? Hey, what are you looking at?"

Sara pointed subtly toward the foreign boy from their class. He was seated alone on the front steps. Despite being isolated, he seemed content.

"He's not Indian," Sara pointed out. "I wonder where he's from."

"England," Lillian answered, confident. "The other girl in our class is from Bath. He's probably the same kind of thing."

"You think so?"

Sighing, Lillian hopped to her feet. She didn't even bother to straighten out her uniform as she began to march over to the boy.

"Wh-where are you going?!" Sara cried, stumbling to her feet.

"To ask him, of course! We'll never know otherwise."

Without waiting up for her friend, Lillian boldly approached the boy. He seemed to almost ignore Lillian's presence at first. His turquoise eyes wandered the sky, and his black hair brushed the tips of his eyelashes. When he finally acknowledged Lillian, it was with a sigh and a shift of his gaze to hers. He seemed older than a first-grader, both in looks and actions.

"Where are you from?" Lillian asked, getting straight to the point.

"Why do you ask?" the boy retorted, raising his eyebrows. Lillian could hear the accent in his voice, and it only made her even more curious.

"Because I want to know." The boy seemed frustrated, but he only looked away from Lillian's bright brown eyes.

"I'm from Russia," he finally answered, staring straight ahead as he spoke.

"Russia?" Lillian echoed. "Where is that?"

"Northern Asia."

"So it's not in England?"

"Of course not."

Lillian suddenly stomped her foot, startling the boy.

"What do you MEAN, 'of course not'?!" she snapped, putting her hands on her hips. "If you're not from India, and you're not from England-well, what else is there!?"

"There's Russia," the boy said plainly.

"Where the bloody hell is that!?" Lillian fumed. "Is that even a real place?! If you aren't Indian and you're not English, then you're just taking up space!"

"Everyone takes up space," the boy replied, frowning. "No matter WHERE you come from."

"Right, well, foreigners are even MORE annoying!"

"You're a foreigner, too."

"No, I'm not! I'm ENGLISH."

"England isn't in India."

"But I'm not a foreigner here!" Lillian insisted just as Sara finally came over. "Right, Sara?! Am I a foreigner?"

"N-no, I don't think so?" the girl replied, not entirely sure what the word meant. "Why are you asking?"

"This prat called me one," Lillian said, pointing. "The little wanker!"

Sara said nothing, lost in translation. But she didn't even have the chance-the boy stood up at last.

"You're annoying," he told Lillian, looking her straight in the eyes. Reacting almost naturally to his sudden aggression, in that next moment, she snapped.

"You're WEIRD!" she screamed, and with all of the strength in her five-year-old body, she tackled the boy off of the steps and onto the dirt path. Sara, startled, screamed, and covered her face, crouching down.

"Get off of me!" the boy shouted, pushing Lillian's face out of his.

"YOU DON'T BELONG HERE, PRAT!" Lillian shrieked, pulling the boy's hair. "Get out of here, FOREIGNER!"

Obviously, Lillian found herself in the principal's office not long after. The Russian boy was seated next to her, scowling in frustration.

"I can't believe something like this would happen on the very first day of school," the principal said with a sigh, running a hand through his thick, black hair. "Still, I believe you understand why you both were brought here."

"I don't," the boy said. "She attacked me."

"I didn't attack you," Lillian muttered under her breath.

"You called me names."

"I called you what you deserve to be called."

"Enough, both of you." The principal gave a stern look to Lillian, who shrank back in her chair. "I will not force the two of you to be friends, but you _will_ learn to get along. Today, you'll both be leaving school early. But starting tomorrow, Lillian, you had better have a different attitude."

The Russian boy let out a little sigh of relief as Lillian crossed her arms indignantly, pouting. She swung her legs impatiently, refusing to look at the boy.

"Ymed."

Both Lillian and the boy turned to see an Indian couple standing in the doorway to the principal's office. The man looked worried, and the woman seemed flustered.

Approaching the boy, the woman said something in another language to him, and he responded back in the same language. She stroked his cheek, where he had a scratch from the scuffle, and then sighed deeply.

"I'm so terribly sorry about this," the woman said to the principal, who simply shook his head.

"He'll be fine, I believe."

"LILLIAN KAY BREECH."

Whipping her head around, Lillian saw her mother standing in the doorway, her bright brown eyes burning like fire. Immediately the blonde sank back into her chair.

Fanny first made a move to the boy's parents.

"I am so, so terribly sorry," she said, her voice full of true remorse. "I have no idea what brought her to this, but I can assure you I WILL-" She shot a look at Lillian again. "-take care of it."

"Please don't worry too much about it," the Indian woman said, taking the boy's hand in hers. "Ymed is a fighter at heart, too. I'm sure this will work itself out in the end."

"Oh, I'm sure it will." Fanny stared at Lillian, who was still shrunk into her chair. "Come here, young lady."

"Mum…" Lillian whined pathetically.

"Don't play with me. You know you've done wrong. And before you do a single thing more, you apologize to this boy-Ymed-right this instant."

"…Right…" Lillian knew she wasn't going to win this battle. She looked at Ymed, then looked away, resisting the strange urge to smirk at him. "…Sorry."

"…" Ymed said nothing, only got out of his chair and followed the Indian couple out of the office. Lillian and Fanny soon followed, the tension following them out.

Despite receiving harsh lectures from both parents and several punishments, Lillian's resistance to Ymed did not end with this fight. Several times again did they scuffle, and even more often did the two exchange cruel words, mostly from Lillian's fault. This continued on for several years.

The last straw was in their fifth year-their scuffle took place on the jungle gym. Lillian had instigated this one, as usual, but by her own fault, she came tumbling down to the dirt. Her reward was a broken arm, and the result was a calmer child.


	3. Chapter 3: Departure

Chapter 3: Departure

Memo: Ahaha, I've become so attached this story so quickly. I'm like some desperate slut or something. xD Anyway, I'm excited to continue on this adventure with you all. Ready?

On a warm December afternoon, Lillian came home to the unexpected. She was used to random things happening to her by this age, having already survived a decade of her life and all of the changes that came with it. But life had been calm just long enough for her to get too used to it, and so when she came home to find half of the house in boxes, she was surprised.

"Mum?" she called out into the house. Fanny poked her head around the corner, seeming unusually unkempt. "What's going on?"

"Oh… Right," was all the woman said, walking around to face her daughter. "You're probably not going to be very happy about this, are you?"

"Happy about what?" Lillian said, surprised at her mother's lack of tact.

Fanny hesitated, gently placing a hand on Lillian's shoulder.

"…Your father's work here in India is almost done," she began. But she didn't need to say anything else.

"We're moving back!?" When Fanny nodded, Lillian felt a strange sense of rebellion and heartbreak tug at her. "Already!?"

"Five years has gone by fast, hasn't it?" Fanny admitted, half-smiling. "I know you've made a lot of friends here, but going back to England will be better in the end, I think."

"But…I…" Lillian couldn't quite put the feeling into words, but something deep inside her felt a strong attachment to Calcutta, and simply put, she did not want to leave.

"Oh, Lillian…don't be sad. You knew this day would come."

But Lillian said nothing. She just went up to her room, unable to speak or even cry.

Yes, it was true that she was happy to go back to England, where life was certainly more comfortable and convenient, but she could not deny the attachment she had to Calcutta, either. Her friends, her school, even the beach that she had visited again and again in the five years she had spent in this place… She couldn't easily let it go.

"Just come back," Sara told her the next day when Lillian revealed the news. Their conversations these days were mostly in Hindi; Lillian had been able to pick up the language unusually fast. Of course, it helped that Lillian could say whatever she didn't know how to say in Hindi in English, and Sara would be there to translate for her. "Just come back again."

"How?"

"I don't know, but you came here once, didn't you?" Upon Lillian's nod of agreement, Sara's face brightened. "Then come back someday."

"Right…" Lillian smiled softly, feeling a little less sad.

"But when you go back to England, don't forget about me," Sara added, smiling as well. There were tears clinging to her bottom lashes. Lillian let out a loud laugh in response.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to!" she exclaimed, hugging her friend, hiding the tears of her own. Blinking slowly, she looked out over the playground as Sara quietly cried into her shoulder. For a moment, her eyes locked with Ymed's, who gave her a wary look. "But I will forget that stupid kid over there," she grumbled to herself, looking away.

"Write me letters," Sara said suddenly, releasing her grip on Lillian. "In Hindi! And in English! So you can never forget. And so I can practice."

"Right! I'll do it!" Lillian cried enthusiastically, wiping the tears from behind her glasses. "But…I'm still sad. I really like it here."

"But isn't England so much better?" Sara asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

"No, not by a lot." Lillian grinned and shrugged. "But like you said, I'll just come back! I have to come back!"

And so Lillian gained the resolve to return to India someday, no matter what. She didn't bother revealing this to her parents; they were already preoccupied with the sudden move enough as it was. Instead, she kept the resolve silently resting in her heart, along with the familiar feeling she always felt while traveling through Calcutta.

She had another sense of familiarity upon returning to England, but it was not to the same degree as what she had felt in India. Being back in London was a more immediate feeling of belonging and familiarity, but when she had been in India, the feeling had come deep inside and was somewhat subconscious.

Regardless, she kept those feelings locked away for safe-keeping. And soon enough, she learned another reason for the sudden move: Fanny was pregnant with her second child, and in the follow fall she gave birth to a boy. Lillian was thrilled to finally have a sibling, and she used James as her pupil to teach Hindi to and to take on various "adventures."

"Lil, I want to go to Mars today!" James would say, tugging on his older sister's hand. Despite the age gap, Lillian never passed up the opportunity to play with him.

"All right, Jimmy, but first we need a ship!" she would reply.

Truth be told, Lillian found herself living somewhat vicariously through Jimmy, who could freely escape into his imagination. He could travel anywhere without having to do anything but dream. Lillian, however, had grown up past that point. If she wanted to travel, she had to pay money, make plans, and put in a certain amount of effort. Though adventurous, she hated the idea of having to work any harder than she needed to.

And yet, she continued to study Hindi with the goal of returning to India.

"Where is India?" James asked his sister one day while she was doing homework.

"Here, bring out a map and I'll show you!" she replied, enthusiastically pushing aside her math book. James did as he was told. "It's this pink one right here. It's shaped like a diamond, a bit."

"Or a kite!"

"You're right, Jimmy!" Lillian pointed to a spot in the western half of the country. "This is where we lived…wait. No, that's not right. It's here." She quickly pointed at Calcutta, shaking her head. "What am I thinking? I was totally off."

"You're old."

Lillian used her free hand to smack James on the back of his head.

"Right, so this is where we lived. And this is where I'm going to go back to."

"For university?"

Lillian opened her mouth to shoot him down, but the idea stuck.

"…Maybe so," she replied, slowly sitting back in her chair. She ran a hand through her long blonde hair and took off her glasses. "That would certainly be a trip."

"Take me, too!" James pleaded, his large brown eyes peering up at hers.

"Aren't you a bit young to have wanderlust?" Lillian asked him jokingly. "You've just started school."

"And I already hate it!" They both laughed. "I want to go on a real adventure with you!"

Lillian couldn't help but smile. "I want you to come, too, Jimmy. Don't worry. I promise you that someday we'll go together."

At first, James frowned, obviously dissatisfied with his sister's answer. Lillian could read his emotion.

"I swear to you by…by Batman," she added.

At the mention of his favorite superhero, James brightened.

"I can't wait!" he shouted, darting out of her room. Lillian watched him run off, then returned to the map.

"Me either," she said quietly, sighing.


	4. Chapter 4: Taking steps

Chapter 4: Taking steps

Memo: I feel as though this one starts out throwing out a bunch of information at you at once. Sorry about that OTL. But that's just the way the story took shape in my mind. From this point on, we're going to have more details and plot plot PLOT PLOTTTT XD

"...List of courses…recommendations…" Lillian sighed, shifting through the papers in her hands. Though the workload intimidated her more than she was willing to admit, something about the process made her excited to put effort into something, for once. Perhaps it was the giant lettering across the top that read: "University of Calcutta."

"Lillian," came Fanny's voice from downstairs. Hurriedly, Lillian stuffed the application information into a folder and stuck it in her desk drawer just as her mother reached her room. "Ah, of course you're up here. …What's that face for?"

"No reason in particular," Lillian said with a shrug. "What did you need?"

"Can you pick James up tonight? I got a call from work and-"

"It's fine. You really didn't even need to ask."

Fanny's face softened. "Thank you. I just wanted to be sure."

"Of course. Anything for Jimmy."

"Right." There was a brief pause, and then, "So what are you doing right now, anyway?"

"Nothing," Lillian answered quickly, not daring to break eye contact with her mother.

"I highly doubt that."

"Doubt all you like." The sixteen year old pursed her lips, resisting the urge to glance at her desk drawer. She was fully aware of her mother's opposition to studying in India for university level, but she also didn't care. Yes, it would be expensive, and yes, she would be far away from her tight-knit family, but if she could earn the scholarships to go, it would be worth every minute.

Or at least, that was how she felt.

"Well, if you're going to be that way," Fanny said with a sigh, shaking her head. Lillian felt her heart leap in a burst of triumph as she watched her mother depart from the room. "I'll just go ahead and make _you_ cook dinner tonight."

"Whoa, wait a second!" Lillian cried, startled. Jumping up from her desk chair, she darted after her mother, who was standing near the top of the stairs.

The next thing she knew, she was lying in a hospital bed, and her parents and brother were hovering over her.

"Oh thank goodness," Fanny said when Lillian finally opened her eyes.

"What…?" She couldn't remember what had happened, or how long she had been knocked out, but she did know that her arm was throbbing in a familiar pain. "I…"

"You fell down the stairs," Jack told her, a twinkle of amusement in his concerned gaze. "And you're two for two on that arm of yours."

"…I…broke it?" Lillian asked, slowly coming out of her dazed state. "Again?"

"Yes, again," Fanny said in a huff. "All this trouble because you refuse to be honest with me." Upon hearing her mother's words, Lillian recalled what she had been doing the moment before she fell down the stairs. "I highly suggest you take this opportunity to be open with us, Lillian."

Again, Fanny stared Lillian down, but this time, Lillian did not have the strength to fight back. She sighed, running her uninjured hand through her hair.

"I want to go back to India," she murmured, looking at her feet.

"Whatever for?" Fanny asked.

"Because I miss it. I miss being there."

"And so what in the world are you being so secretive about?"

"…I want to go there for school," Lillian admitted.

"You mean, for university?" Jack said, and she nodded slowly.

"I've already started looking at the application, and I think I can get in and really live there comfortably. And I-"

"You realize what you're trying to decide, right?" Fanny interrupted, crossing her arms. "Where you go to university will greatly influence your future, you realize."

"So?" Lillian shrugged, looking away from her mother's judgmental gaze. "I'm undecided either way-it won't help me at all if I'm unhappy with where I'm attending school. And I'm applying for scholarships so that it's more affordable. I've been studying Hindi all this time, too." She looked back up at her mother, pushing back tears. "In case you couldn't tell, I'm quite determined to do this, Mother."

Fanny looked at Lillian for a while, then turned to Jack, who had a funny look on his face. Lillian couldn't read his expression, either, but it didn't seem negative.

"Jack…?" Fanny said quietly.

"…Let her go," Jack replied, his voice unusually soft. "If this is what she wants to do, if she's willing to work for it…then why not let her go?"

Looking helpless, Fanny turned back to Lillian. Despite the pain surging in her arm, Lillian felt hopeful after hearing her father's honest opinion.

"Lil was meant to travel," James spoke up suddenly. "She's gonna be a world explorer!"

Lillian couldn't help but grin at her little brother, who gazed up at her with enthusiastic eyes and an equally bright smile.

Obviously outvoted and defeated, Fanny let out a long sigh.

"…You really did love it there, didn't you?" she murmured. Lillian nodded firmly. "Then I can't stop you from that, can I?"

"Well, you _are_ my mother, so I suppose anything is possible."

Fanny's face finally broke into a soft smile.

"You're absolutely right about that. But I believe this time, I'll let you decide."

"I want to go," Lillian declared.

"It's going to be expensive," came her mother's warning.

"I'll get scholarships."

"And what if you don't?"

"I'll find another way. This is something I really want to do." Lillian smiled at her family, and there was a hint of sadness in her heart at the thought of leaving them behind. But the call she also felt to go back to India was stronger.

"Then we won't stop you," Jack said, beaming at his daughter.

And they didn't stop her. Two years later, Lillian found herself packing her life into two fifty kilogram suitcases. Her letters from Sara went in her carry-on, along with her acceptance letter and proof of scholarship.

"I can't believe you're going."

Lillian looked up at the sound of her mother's voice. Fanny stood in the doorway to Lillian's room, arms folded across her chest. But she didn't appear angry or upset, just a bit lonely. Lillian ran a hand through her recently-cut blonde locks, smiling sympathetically.

"Me either, honestly," she replied, zipping her suitcases shut. "It feels like I've been waiting so long that it can't be possible."

"You worked hard."

"I know." The two laughed at Lillian's usual blunt honesty.

"I hope you don't stop working hard." Fanny leaned against the doorframe, smirking at her daughter. "Just because you're in a country we aren't in doesn't mean you get to slack off."

"I'll try not to." Lillian winked playfully. "Promise."

Fanny rolled her eyes, leaving the room. Lillian smirked to herself. She knew her own track record, and it was horribly plagued with procrastination. However, she really had given a great deal of effort into returning to India. It was something she really wanted, something she felt called to address. And so she did, and so she succeeded.

_I really could do anything_, she realized, sitting on top of her bigger bag, thinking. _Sometimes I do wish I would start trying harder. Maybe in India I'll feel more compelled to_. She shook her head slowly, sighing. _No…I'll have to. I won't have a choice. This decides my future_.

"Ready to go, sis?" James peered into her room, smiling. Lillian grinned back. "I'm ready, too!"

"What-?"

To her surprise and admiration, James huffed and puffed, pulling a suitcase behind him. It was easily three-fourths his height. Lillian let out an amused laugh.

"Jimmy, what in the world is that?!" she exclaimed, grinning.

"I'm coming, too! I decided this morning," he explained, returning the grin. Lillian laughed again, but after getting a better look at her brother's face, she realized he was not joking. "It's going to be such fun!"

"Jimmy…" Lillian let out a quiet sigh, her face softening. "Jimmy, I'm sorry. But you can't come with me this time."

"Why not?" he replied indignantly. "I've already packed and everything!"

"There are a lot of reasons: where would you stay? Where would you go to school? You'd have no money, no job, and no friends." As she spoke, she watched her brother's face fall, and her heart began to break. "Jimmy…you can't come. It's that simple."

"But I…"

"I'll miss you, too." Without another word, Lillian got up and hugged her little brother tightly. "Don't tell Mum and Pop, but I'll miss you most of all. But don't be sad, all right?" She pushed James back to look him in the eyes. "Soon you'll be able to visit me, and I'm going to show you all of the most incredible places you can imagine. And we can play on the beach. Deal?"

"You…promise?" James said, wiping his nose.

"I promise, Jimmy."

"…Deal," he murmured through tears. Smiling, Lillian hugged her little brother again, and he felt smaller than usual as he hugged her back. She could feel the cling of his small hands on her through the trip to the airport, and even on the plane.

But when she finally stepped off of the plane and into the airport, the sense of familiarity that she had once encountered as a child wrapped around her again. The word "home" slipped out of her mouth in Hindi before she even had the chance to think twice.

"Janmabhūmi," she whispered again, looking around the airport. Her heart was beating so hard that she could feel it behind her eyes.

"JALELA!"

_It's been so long_, Lillian realized upon hearing her Indian name. She turned to see a familiar person running toward her, a huge smile plastered on her face. The person, a girl about her age, was dressed in Western clothing but sported a bindi on her forehead and had long, black braided hair.

"Sara!" Lillian practically screamed, running toward her childhood friend. The two girls met in an enthusiastic embrace that even attracted a few on-lookers.

"You're finally back," Sara said, squeezing Lillian tight.

"I'm home," Lillian told her, holding back tears. Sara pushed Lillian back to look at her, and the two grinned broadly. "I'm home, I'm home!"

"Welcome home!" Sara swung Lillian's arms playfully. "I can't even explain how happy I am that you're back. But you're tired, right? Let's get out of here and get some food!"

"Ahhh, Indian food," Lillian said with a happy sigh. Sara let out a laugh.

"Sometimes I really wonder if you're English like you say."

"Believe it or not, sometimes I wonder, too."

The two exchanged grins, and Lillian felt the same sense of familiarity from before, along with the memory of her childhood. They were two different sensations, but both were strong, and both seemed true to her heart.

_So, either way, I'm right_, she thought, unable to stop smiling as Sara chatted on. _And I'm happy. Because…because this is where I'm supposed to be._


	5. Chapter 5: Different Histories

Chapter 5: Different Histories

Memo: We're back in India! And we're going to be in India for the rest of this first part. Why? Well…you'll see. :D

It didn't take long for Lillian to get used to being back in Calcutta, and she even got used to living alone more quickly that she thought. Granted, she missed her family, but she wasn't about to toss everything aside to go back to London. Besides, she knew she would seem them again before she knew it.

The first day of classes helped distract her from any lingering homesickness. Lillian was amazed by how beautiful campus was, and she found her first class without any problems. People were lingering outside, talking and laughing. Though she knew none of them, it all felt comfortable. Even walking into her first class, freshman biology, she felt at home.

Because she had lingered a little too long outside, there was only one seat open-next to a young man who sat with his chin in his hand, looking out the window. His gaze shifted when Lillian sat down next to him, and she smiled at him.

"Hello," she said in English, then gasped. The young man seemed startled and abruptly sat upright, his turquoise eyes widening. "Sorry, I shouldn't assume you speak English," she then said in Hindi.

"I…do speak English," the young man said, blinking once and calming down a bit.

"Oh, really? Great!" Lillian grinned, tilting her head. "Though we should still speak in Hindi to practice."

"Y-yeah…" The young man ran a hand through his black hair, sighing through his nose. Lillian thought he looked attractive doing that kind of gesture. In fact, he was just a generally attractive guy; she considered herself lucky to have a seat next to him. He was not Indian; he could've been European, maybe even English.

"I mean, we're both international students, right? We should practice Hindi."

The young man stared at Lillian, and her smile slowly disappeared.

"…What?"

"What's your name?" the young man said in English, obviously disregarding her earlier comments. "And where are you from?"

"Well, aren't YOU hasty," Lillian replied, crossing her arms. "I'm Lillian, and I'm from England."

"So it IS you."

"_What_?"

Lillian opened her mouth to question the stranger, but just then the professor walked in and began the class without hesitation. Her questions would have to wait; it was obvious the guy still had things to say, too. She could feel him staring her down every so often, then averting his gaze, and repeat.

Class was dismissed early, and Lillian was grateful; she wanted to know what was up with this weird guy.

"You're Lillian Breech," the young man said as Lillian stood and put her things in her backpack. "Aren't you?"

She stopped, then nodded once.

"How do you know me?" she asked, frowning at the boy.

"Don't you remember me?"

"Remember…?"

The young man stood, matching Lillian's frown. "You used to live here in Calcutta, when you were younger, and you went to primary school here. Right?"

"Yes, but-"

"So do you remember me?"

Lillian stared at the young man. He _did_ seem familiar, but she couldn't place him in her mind. As she thought harder and harder, the feeling of familiarity grew, but still she could not recall any particular instances in which they met or had any type of encounter.

"You're…admittedly quite familiar," she finally replied.

"…You really don't remember me at all," the young man concluded, sighing.

Lillian smirked, throwing her backpack over her shoulder.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you for the past few minutes," she stated, turning to walk away.

"Hey, wait a second!"

The young man followed Lillian out of the classroom, keeping up with her fast-paced walk. He eventually caught up and cut in front of her.

"You're going to make me late," she sighed. "Not that I care that much, but this would be a stupid way to let it happen."

"You're not…lying, right?" the young man said.

"Why would I?"

To her surprise, he let out a frustrated sigh.

"Well, let me jog your memory: we were in the same school during primary school, and always in the same class. You made it your life mission to make _my _life miserable, and you were constantly trying to beat me up. You even broke your arm trying to get to me. I was so happy when you left because I didn't have to worry about getting the shit knocked out of me every day, and now you're back, but you don't remember a thing about it!?"

Lillian listened, half amused, half horrified. He was practically yelling in her face.

"You're a terror, Lillian Breech," he finished, stepping aside. "And by the way, you've obviously forgotten my name, so it's Ymed."

Ymed stood silently to the side, leaving a clear getaway for Lillian; she gladly took the opportunity and bolted off to her next class.

_That was beyond weird_, she thought again and again. _Still, he _does _seem familiar, but I don't really remember getting into a fight with them… Then again, I _do _remember breaking my arm falling from a jungle gym. So why am I having such a hard time remembering him from my childhood…_?

The event bothered Lillian for the rest of the day, and when she retired to her apartment for the night, she decided to give Sara a call to confirm Ymed's claims.

"Ah, you met Ymed!?" Sara cried, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, apparently we're in the same first hour," Lillian replied with a sigh.

"I'm very surprised he stayed in India," Sara said. "He was adopted, you know. I thought he might go back to Russia for school someday, but I guess he's happy here."

"Adopted…" Lillian echoed quietly. She would never have guessed it. But when she started thinking harder about it, she could remember his parents coming to pick him up on one instance, and they were Indian.

"Yes, and he was actually quite popular in high school. But I think a lot of his friends studied abroad, so again, I'm surprised he decided to stay here." Sara chuckled, her amusement obvious even over the phone. "You two hated each other in primary school. Maybe it's better that you don't remember those times."

"Perhaps," Lillian agreed, sighing once again. "Well…thank you for clearing this up."

"It's no problem, really. Say, this is completely off-topic, but tomorrow night, if you're not doing anything, come and visit! My parents want to see you again!"

Lillian's face broke into a grin. "Absolutely!"

Lillian and Sara chatted a while longer before hanging up. Even after having her suspicions confirmed, Lillian still felt uneasy.

"I…need to talk a walk," she decided, shaking her head.

A few minutes later, Lillian stepped outside into the dimly lit streets and began to walk. She was already familiar with her residential area, so she felt safe enough walking at night.

_I feel like I know him from somewhere_, she realized, putting the hood of her jacket over her head. _ …From someplace other than childhood. But that doesn't make any sense. I don't think he's famous, and I've never seen his face on the internet before, I don't believe_…

"Hey!"

Startled out of her thoughts, Lillian looked up to see someone literally inches from running into her.

_But of course_, she thought, sighing as Ymed stared her down, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He apparently had been out on a run.

"W-watch where you're walking," he muttered, patting his hands dry on a towel that was slung around his neck.

"Look," Lillian blurted out before he could say another word. "I've been turning things over and over in my mind, and the truth is that I don't remember much at all from when we were kids. But you know what? You still seem familiar to me. And I can't shake the feeling that we must have met before. So I guess that means you're right, and that I'm wrong, so…let's just start over?"

Lillian held out her hand to Ymed, pulling back her hood.

"Hi, I'm Lillian Breech. Pleasure meeting you," she said, staring Ymed down. Under the dim light of the street lamps, it was hard to read his expression, but he was obviously surprised at her sudden change of heart. "…Will you just shake my hand and give me peace?!"

Silently, Ymed slowly reached out and shook Lillian's hand.

_Why does even this gesture seem familiar_? she wondered, looking up at Ymed.

"…You really should watch where you're walking," he said again, a smile tugging at his lips.

Lillian let go of his hand, crossing her arms indignantly.

"I've just as much the right to walk here as you do," she told him, turning on her heels to walk back to her apartment.

"Leaving so soon?" he called after her.

"It's too dark for a walk," she replied over her shoulder. "See you later?"

"Sure, on Wednesday."

For the first time, Ymed smiled at her, and she smiled back, feeling a little better. The walk back was a short one, but it was just long enough for her to turn it all over in her head. She planned to tell Sara the gist of what had happened the next night at dinner, but there was still no way to explain the strange feelings she had been feeling ever since her return.

"Oh well," Lillian sighed when she reached her apartment. She was too tired to keep thinking about it. It would have to wait until another day.


	6. Chapter 6: Slipping Up

Chapter 6: Slipping Up

Memo: Ahhh, I'm so excited for this part^^ I certainly hope you all are enjoying this as much as I am. :D

Lillian's classes on Tuesday were different from Ymed's, and since she and Sara had entirely different majors, she didn't see her, either.

_I should probably make some more friends_, Lillian told herself in her first class, feeling lonely. But making friends was harder than she remembered. Besides the language barrier, she wasn't sure how to approach people she didn't know.

Luckily, another friend was thrown into her lap.

It was in her last class of the day-beginning Urdu; she was already skilled in Hindi, and her Bengali wasn't shabby either, but Urdu was another language she knew she would need if she was to stay in India for more than a year. Besides, she hadn't decided exactly what major she wanted to settle into yet, and Urdu was a class that could be applied to nearly any school.

"Hey, blondie."

Lillian was the only blonde in the class, so she turned to the sound of the voice. He had spoken in English, with a British accent, and when she saw him, she could tell he was a fellow Brit. He had ice blue eyes and sharp facial features; his head was shaved, and his arms were covered in tattoos.

"My name is Lillian," she told him. "What?"

"D'you understand what's going on in this class?" he asked, sounding almost embarrassed. "Because, to be honest with you, my skill in foreign languages is sub-par."

"Well, yes." Lillian blinked, surprised at how nice the stranger sounded despite his appearance. "What did you have a question about?"

"Well, several things, but first, we need to take care of the formalities, correct?" The young man smiled. "Benjamin Rould. Call me Ben. Lillian, was it? You're an Englishwoman, aren't you?"

"I am," Lillian replied, unable to hide her pride.

"Fantastic. So I'm not alone in this endeavor." Ben half-smiled, glancing down at the syllabus. "Now, as for my questions…"

Feeling right at home talking to Ben, Lillian explained to him the outline of the class, which was explained on the paperwork in Hindi and Urdu only. He seemed like a nice enough person, surprisingly enough.

_Not that I should judge by exterior_, Lillian told herself, noticing the large dragon-shaped earring covering over half of Ben's right ear. _But he's making it so damn easy._

"Thanks for your assistance, Lillian," Ben said with a smile. "Seeing as I will probably be asking you questions every day in this class, I hope I can consider you a friend in this game of chance called life?"

Lillian smirked. "That's one interesting way of putting it, but sure. I don't see why not." The two shook hands. "Well, I have a prior engagement, so I'll see you Thursday?"

"Until then, m'lady," Ben replied, nodding once.

_It's like he's straight from a 19__th__ century romance novel_, she thought, quietly laughing to herself as she left her class. _Sara will enjoy hearing about him, I'm certain…_

There were only a few hours for Lillian to get ready and arrive at Sara's apartment, which was easily a thirty minute walk. She had yet to purchase a motor scooter or even a bicycle, but she wasn't even entirely sure she wanted to. After all, that would require money, and the less money she spent, the less likely it would be that she would have to get a job.

_Perhaps it's something I should think a little harder about_, she wondered as she walked up the street to Sara's house.

Her troubles were forgotten the moment that Sara came bursting from her front door. Even though it had only been a few days since they had last seen each other, Sara still hugged Lillian enthusiastically, the same way she had when Lillian had arrived to the airport weeks before.

"Come in, come in!" Sara urged the blonde, tugging her by the arm. "Time to tell us about your first day of school!" Lillian couldn't help but laugh; it was like Sara was her substitute mother.

The Gavde's house was small and obviously older, but it felt cozy and inviting all the same. Sara's parents were not poor by any means, but they lived frugally, and so the house was comfortable even to a foreigner like Lillian. It helped that the house was currently filled with the smells of Indian cuisine, courtesy of Sara and her mother.

Soon the four of them were seated at the dinner table, heaps of food in front of them.

"It's so lovely to see you again, Jalela," Sara's mother said, smiling brightly. "It's been such a long time since we last saw you."

"And yet it feels like no time has passed," Lillian responded with a grin.

"Funny how that works," Sara's father laughed. "Still, it's really wonderful to have you back in India. How is it going for you so far-your classes and the like?"

Lillian grinned at Sara, finally able to tell the stories of Ymed and Ben, as well as other tidbits about her apartment and teachers. As she relayed the events to the Gavde family, she couldn't help but feel the overwhelming feeling of déjà vu, even though they were the first to hear these stories.

"I'm sure first semester will fly by for you, Jalela," Sara said with a laugh.

"I've always wondered something, Sara," Lillian responded, suddenly changing the subject. "I know _why _you don't call me Lillian, but why the name Jalela _specifically_?"

"Why Jalela in the first place?" Sara's mother asked, looking at her daughter. They greatly resembled each other, and so to Lillian, it was a doubled sense of déjà vu. "I've never thought to question it until just now."

"Well, I couldn't say 'Lillian' when we first met," Sara admitted, looking embarrassed. "And I was so afraid that she wouldn't be my friend if I couldn't say her name, so I had to come up with a nickname." She shrugged, looking at Lillian. "It just seemed to suit her."

"It…does, doesn't it?" Sara's mother agreed.

"Interesting name choice," her father added.

"What?... Oh! I remember now!" Sara nodded in understanding. "Jalela was the name of a princess from Western India, where Baba's side of the family is from."

"Really?" Lillian gasped. "That's incredible."

"Yes, she was the last monarch of that small village, and then went on to be an ambassador. She lived during some of the most terrifying times in Indian history."

"Ah, you mean the battles with British rule," Lillian said, nodding. She knew enough about that, certainly. "That wasn't TOO long ago."

"No, but it's long enough that she has somewhat disappeared from the standard history books, unfortunately." Sara's father gave Lillian a sad smile. "But I would say the name suits you."

"So, you're from Western India?"

"My parents were the first to leave. I grew up in Calcutta, but I've been back several times, and my parents and grandparents made sure to teach me the Sanskrit dialect passed down. It's not very useful, but I think it's a sort of treasure."

"I'm dreadful at it," Sara said with a laugh. Lillian grinned.

"Say something in it!" she commanded. "I'd love to hear what it sounds like."

Sara's father nodded and stopped to think for a moment. The women waited in anticipation, quietly staring at the man.

_Even _he _seems familiar_, Lillian realized, her smile slowly fading.

"We've waited a while for your return," he finally said, looking at Lillian as the old Sanskrit dialect gently rolled from his tongue.

Before she could even think to stop herself, Lillian opened her mouth.

"I've waited a while as well," she replied, the words slipping from her lips.

Her response offered amazed stares from the Gavde's.

"…I-I must have heard that line in a drama or something before," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I'm not even entirely sure what I just said to you."

"Well, you must have a very good memory," Sara's father said slowly. "What you said was correct."

"She sounded better than me!" Sara exclaimed. "What's your secret?"

"Luck, apparently," Lillian murmured, her head spinning.

Though the others remained lively despite the oddity, Lillian fell quiet for the rest of the evening. She was not only confused as to how the response to his statement had come out so naturally, but also as to how she even understood his statement in the first place. The interaction was in a language she didn't even know. As she sat on the backseat of Sara's motorbike, she tried to say a single word in that language, but nothing came to mind.

_What the hell is going on_? she wondered as Sara pulled up to Lillian's apartment complex.

"Well, here we are!" Sara cried enthusiastically. "Your Majesty."

"Oh gosh, don't even start calling me that," Lillian said with a laugh. Sara giggled mischievously. "But thank you so much for the ride back. And dinner. And just a good time in general."

"Thank you for coming!" she said, killing the engine. "Though I'm still amazed about the Sanskrit thing."

"Me too, trust me."

Sara tilted her head in curiosity.

"You know, maybe you knew it in a past life or something," she suggested, a smile spreading across her dark face. "Anyway, let's not wait too long to get together again, all right? During the holiday we should go somewhere!"

Lillian laughed, nodding. "Of course, of course! But for now, let's call it a night."

"Excellent! Good night!"

"Good night, and thank you!"

Sara just smiled, and her bike rumbled to life as Lillian walked up to her apartment. Despite her smiling face, her mind was tumbling and grasping for answers that she did not yet know how to find.


	7. Chapter 7: Sikkim Nights

Chapter 7: Sikkim Nights

Memo: I parodied on TOKYO NIGHTS there in the title, and no I am NOT sorry! That song is a piece of work in the best way possible. XD Anyway, though this part is quickly drawing to a close, the main bulk of the storyline is just getting started. I hope that you all are enjoying it thoroughly. I hope I hope! I love writing for you all ;w;

"I can't believe what I've gotten myself into," Lillian heard Ymed say from behind her.

It had been six months since Lillian had arrived in India. She now considered herself fully accustomed to life there, even more so than she had in her childhood days. It was thanks to Sara and her parents, and also thanks to Ymed and Ben. The four had become close without even having to try, despite the differences in backgrounds and majors.

And so it happened that they were piled into Sara's father's car, on their way to spend a week off from school in Sikkim, the state to the north of West Bengal, where Calcutta is located. Sara was fairly familiar with the area, and at Ben and Lillian's insistence, Ymed was dragged along as well.

"You'll have fun, mate," Ben told Ymed, grinning at the Russian. Lillian just smiled to herself, looking out the window as the afternoon sun slowly sank into the horizon. "I mean, you're Russian, right? We'll find you some drinks and-"

"Just because I'm Russian doesn't mean I'm a heavy drinker," Ymed argued.

"Maybe not before, but starting today-"

"Oh you two," Sara said loudly, rolling her eyes. "You don't HAVE to drink to have fun."

"Maybe _you_ don't," Ben said with a loud laugh. Lillian and Sara grinned at each other; they all were quite aware that Ben's idea of a good time was usually alcohol-related. After all, he spent so much time at school studying, probably more than the three of them combined. Despite his jokes and light-hearted attitude, he was quite studious and, though he'd never admit to it, a bit of a geek.

"It's illegal, anyway," Ymed said quickly. Lillian looked in the reflection of the side-view mirror and saw Ymed fold his arms across his chest indignantly. The sun lit up his face, and his turquoise eyes seemed to light up despite his cross expression.

"Not in Sikkim," Ben told him. "I looked it up."

"He's right, actually…" Sara said with a sigh. "The legal age is eighteen."

"Beautiful."

"No one's going to FORCE you to drink," Lillian told Ymed. "You can just dance."

"Wait, it's a dance party we're going to?" Ymed asked Sara, and she nodded. "…Ben, it looks like I'll be joining you after all."

"What?!"

Ben laughed, shaking Ymed's hand as if they had just established some diplomatic relationship.

"But it's a dance party!" Sara cried, sounding almost pathetic. "You're supposed to dance!"

"I don't dance," Ymed declared.

"We'll fix that," Lillian said quietly, a devious smile tugging at her lips.

Within the hour, the four of them arrived in Sikkim, and the sun had already set to reveal a surprisingly bright city. Night life was definitely alive and well in Gangtok, and soon they had arrived at the small building. Lillian could feel the bass beat through the ground of the makeshift parking lot.

"C'mon, let's go find my friends," Sara told them, grinning broadly. She led the Westerners into the club, and they were immediately greeted by a crowd of dancing young adults, as well as the source of the loud music.

"There's the bar," Ben said, and before either of the girls could protest, he dragged Ymed with him into the crowd.

Before long, Sara had found her friends, and Lillian couldn't help but feel a little out of place. Even ringing in the evening with a 'cheers' didn't feel quite right. Sara chatted with her friends in Hindi, and though Lillian understood ninety percent of what they said, the conversations didn't hold her interest.

_I actually just feel like dancing_, she realized, walking into the crowd as a song ended. To her surprise, the next song that played was a familiar one. _I definitely have seen this movie_.

Despite being in the middle of a crowd of unfamiliar people, slightly tipsy, Lillian felt quite at home dancing by herself, laughing along with everyone else. Everyone seemed to be like a little community, joining in with each other. They all had the same goal: having fun.

After a few songs, Lillian decided to take a break and search for her friends. She found Ben first, trying to charm a couple of girls with his slowly improving Hindi.

"Don't listen to whatever he tells you," Lillian said with a sly grin. The two girls laughed; they seemed to already know he was up to no good, but they obviously were amused enough to stick around.

"You brat!" Ben called after her as she sped away, laughing in his usual good-hearted nature. There was a grin plastered to her face like the sweat plastered to her forehead. Her next encounter was with Ymed, who was sitting by himself at the bar.

"Ben dumped you, didn't he?" Lillian asked, raising an eyebrow. Ymed looked at Lillian, smirking.

"You make it sound like he was my date," he replied, rolling his eyes. He had obviously been drinking, despite his earlier denial.

"He _did_ bring you over here."

"Good point." Ymed started to add something else, but he was interrupted by Lillian's gasp. "What? What is it?"

"I…LOVE THIS SONG," she breathed, her eyes widening. "Oh. My. Gosh. You have no idea. This song is fantastic. Come dance with me!"

"Don't you remember?" Ymed shook his head indignantly. "I don't dance."

"Well, you do NOW!"

Before he could protest, Lillian grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the crowd of dancing people.

"W-what are you-?!"

"Just dance!" Lillian insisted, laughing. "Lighten up-it's so easy!"

Holding onto his forearms, Lillian shook Ymed back and forth playfully. He gave her a look of frustration, but the song was admittedly catchy, even to him. Within a couple of minutes of protesting and pleading from Lillian, Ymed joined the dancing youngsters in their frenzy.

Lillian felt even more at home in the crowd now that Ymed had joined her. They stuck close together, being the only two foreigners on the dance floor (Ben was still charming away), and so when the group split into partners, they were inevitably thrown together.

"It's fun, right!?" she said to him, grinning as the group came back together. He didn't answer, but the look on his face was clear enough. For the first time in their friendship, and for the first time as long as she had known him, she saw a genuinely enthusiastic and joyful grin on Ymed's face. It suited him well, and for some inexplicable reason, she felt as though she might cry.

But before any kind of negativity could come in, the song moved on, and another familiar tune rang through the dance club. Nearly everyone piled on to the floor, and Lillian's level of excitement rose, too.

"I don't get it." Though they were standing right next to each other, Ymed had to shout for his voice to reach Lillian. "Why is everyone so excited?!"

"Because this song is like Gangnam Style before Gangnam Style!" she cried, laughing.

"Gangnam _what_?"

"Just watch!"

As the room shook with the tune of _Tunak Tunak Tun_, Lillian and the other young people danced, doing the moves from the famous music video. Ymed watched the people around him, and he couldn't help but start laughing.

"Don't be stupid!" Lillian shouted at him, giving him a small shove. "You can't just stand there and watch!"

"You expect me to do this, too!?"

"Yes!"

The two turned around, shocked to hear a total stranger answer his question.

"Just have fun!" the girl said. She was probably still in high school. "You're allowed to go soft every once in a while!"

"Yeah, what she said!" Lillian chimed in, bouncing on her feet to the beat.

Knowing he couldn't fight it anymore, Ymed sighed and started reluctantly dancing along with Lillian, who couldn't stop grinning.

"But this is the last song!" he insisted as they danced along with everyone else.

"Quiet, you!" she laughed, slapping his arm lightly. To her surprise, Ymed grabbed her wrist and twirled her around. "Wh-what?!"

"If this is the last song, we have to make it count!"

Lillian couldn't stop grinning, and though the music and atmosphere was so incredibly happy, she felt close to tears. She hadn't been this happy in a long time. Her mood only escalated when she saw the stupid grin plastered onto Ymed's face, and knowing she must have looked the same, she continued to laugh.

_I think I just fell for him_, she thought. _…I wonder if this a sober thought_.

Before she knew it, the song was over, and Ymed had stopped dancing.

"I'm retired from the dance floor now," he declared over the next song. "And possibly from clubs in their entirety. It's hot in here."

"It really is," Lillian agreed, feeling the heat for the first time since they had entered. "C'mon, let's go outside."

It wasn't much of an improvement outdoors, but there was room to breathe. The two leisurely walked around to the side of the building that faced the parking lot. Lillian felt sweaty and tired, but her mind was still as alert as when they arrived.

"And you said you couldn't dance," she joked. Ymed smirked, rolling his eyes.

"No, I said I _don't_ dance. Get your facts straight, woman," he replied. She mimicked his expression. "But…it was fun."

"I'm glad to hear you admit it."

They grinned at each other, both flushed in the face.

After that brief exchange, they were quiet for a while, until Ymed finally sank down onto the ground, sitting with his back against the brick wall of the club. Lillian stayed standing, wondering why even this moment seemed repetitive.

_It's like we've been together like this before, but that can't be, because _-

"Ah, um…" she murmured, twisting her hands. "…I should apologize."

"What for?" Ymed asked, looking up at her.

"For when we were kids. I didn't know then that you were adopted."

The air seemed to grow cold at her last few words.

"…Yeah, I am. But you don't have to apologize for it. It is the way it is."

"…Have…you met them?"

"Nope. I don't see the point."

"The point?" Lillian tilted her head and looked down at him. "They're your parents."

"They are but they're not. They gave that right up when they gave me up."

She had obviously touched on a subject too sensitive for casual discussion, so she decided to back off.

"…Sorry for bringing it up," she said, lowering her head.

"Nah, it's all right. You're not the first, and you're probably not the last."

"…" Not knowing what to say next, Lillian slowly slid down the wall, sitting next to Ymed. She could feel the wall of the club throbbing against her back. "Maybe someday things will change."

"What do you mean?" Ymed asked.

"I…don't know what compelled me to say that," she admitted. The words had just kind of slipped out of her mouth. It had been beyond her control. "But it's a thought."

"What do you want to change?"

"I'm…not sure. A lot of things, but I'm too lazy to sit myself down and do it."

"Same." Ymed thumped his head against the wall a couple of times. "I've had a hard time deciding what to change."

"You're not lazy, too, are you?" Lillian asked with a grin. Ymed shook his head, and his lack of even a smirk made her smile fade.

"Even worse-scared." He sighed.

"Of what?"

"Everything."

"Even me?"

"Especially you."

"Why?"

Ymed hesitated, and Lillian wasn't sure how to react, either, so she sat patiently and made herself wait for his answer.

"…Because you're something that makes me want to change, and I don't know how."

_…Was that a confession or something_? she wondered, looking at Ymed.

"But I-"

"All right, you two," came Sara's voice from around the corner. Ben was right behind her, looking disgruntled. "Ben nearly sold himself into…well, never mind. Let's get to our hotel. I'm beat."

"All right," the two said in unison as Ben threw himself into the front passenger seat of Sara's car. Ymed and Lillian slid into the back, and soon the four of them were on the road again.

_I want to say something_, Lillian thought, looking out at the night sky. _But even if we were alone, I wouldn't know what to say. But the feeling of wanting to be with him is…here_.

While Sara chatted on about Ben's stupidity and gossip from her friends, Lillian listened half-heartedly, still mulling things over. A few minutes in, she felt a warmth on her left hand, and she glanced over to see Ymed's hand there over hers.

…_So it was_.

Slowly she laced her fingers with his, looking up at him. He smiled, and it was warm, and genuine, and once again it filled Lillian with the strangest sense of déjà vu. But she didn't mind, and she didn't bother to think about it too hard.


	8. Chapter 8: What Comes After

Chapter 8: What Comes After

Memo: YES! We are now into the naiyou…Japanese for the main content! I know this story is in three parts, but from this chapter on, we'll be into the core of the story, which will last for a while. XD I hope you are enjoying it! The next two chapters should be quite a ride! Tanoshimi~

Honestly, Lillian wasn't expecting it to work out as well as it had.

Since that night in the parking lot, Ymed started opening up more and more to her, and she found herself doing the same to him. It wasn't hard; he was a great listener, and he was more than willing to spend time with her besides just in classes or for studying. In fact, many of their days-or should I say dates?-were spent at Lillian's apartment. Ymed would bring his guitar, and the two would sit and talk and do nothing but that.

Even after six months together, they still found they had plenty in common, and they spent more time together than Lillian ever would have imagined, especially considering how shaky their background had been. Truth be told, though, she felt more at home with him than anyone in India, even more than Sara and her family.

But there were times when she found it somehow difficult being around Ymed. It wasn't that she would fall out of love with him, but there were some things about him that bothered her, and what made it worse was that he felt the same about her, and neither of them could explain it.

"Maybe there's just some things we'll never be able to understand," Ymed suggested, but Lillian shot him down.

"Maybe in _some _categories of knowledge, but we should at least be able to understand each other in a relationship," she replied. "Right?"

Ymed didn't answer her, and together they stood silently on the pier, their fishing rods cast into the ocean.

It was a long weekend, and there was no better way to spend it than by the beach. Or at least, that was _their_ reasoning. And with Lillian's arm in a cast once again after falling out of their treehouse, it was a good way to relax.

But conversations like these always ruined the mood.

"You really think we'll never understand each other…?" Lillian asked quietly, frowning.

"Well, yeah, if you want me to be completely honest," Ymed answered. "Just like we can't predict the future."

"You're too scared to look that far into the future anyway, so how would _you_ know?"

"Touché."

It was true, what Lillian had said. Normally, Ymed was strong-willed, and relatively tough-skinned. But he was weak-hearted and frail when it came to some things. Lillian was one of them, and she knew so. He had not only admitted it, but she could just tell.

"Because I'm afraid to lose you to something stupid," he had said.

"I won't let you lose me to something stupid," she had responded.

"You would say that."

She had said it to be strong. But she knew that, in reality, she could be just as weak as him sometimes.

"Nothing's biting today," Ymed said with a sigh. "We can try again tomorrow, if you want."

"Yeah, we can take the boat out," Lillian replied, shaking her overgrown blonde locks out of her eyes as she tried to reel in her line without making her broken arm hurt. "Let's go back to the house."

A few minutes later, they had packed up their things, and together they walked back to the beach house they always rented on long weekends. They could have easily found better locations, or nicer places, but that required more work than they were willing to put into it. And so it was always this spot.

The rest of the day was spent leisurely, as per usual. They ate dinner out on the deck, and later Ymed brought out his guitar, and he played while Lillian listened on silently, watching the sun sink below the horizon, just the way it had on that night on the way to Sikkim.

"Are you happy?" she asked him suddenly.

"What do you mean?" he responded, looking up from his guitar at her.

"Are you happy?" she repeated.

"Right now? Yeah. With you? Yeah." He paused, looking out at the fading sunlight. "I'm not really _un_happy with anything right now-at least, regarding things that are within my field of control. Are you…?"

"No," she answered, smiling at him. A gentle breeze passed through, and she turned to face it. "I'm happy, too. I just wondered."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I felt like I had to ask."

Ymed chuckled. "You're so weird."

"You wouldn't understand," she shot back, only half joking. They both fell quiet. "Sorry." She sighed, shaking her head. "I just don't quite understand what you're so afraid of."

"I don't understand, either, if that makes you feel any better," he told her.

"Are you afraid of dying?" she then asked.

"Of course. Don't tell me you aren't?"

"Of course I am. But probably not as much as you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ymed scoffed, putting his guitar aside.

"I don't say that to make myself sound better than you," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I just mean that, well, I don't think dying is necessarily the end of everything."

"Elaborate?"

"Surely when we die, we go somewhere? Maybe Heaven or Hell, or what is it called-Nirvana? Or perhaps we just keep living on somewhere else."

"Do you mean like reincarnation?" Ymed laughed quietly. "I thought Catholics didn't believe in that kind of thing."

"I told you my family is Catholic. I never said _I_ was."

"That I understand." Ymed's adoptive parents were Christian, but he held no views one way or the other. He had never put much thought into it, and so whenever Lillian questioned him about it or brought it up, his responses ended up being passive and half-hearted, arguably flaky.

"But if that's so, I do wonder what kind of person I was," Lillian said quietly, looking out at the starry sky. "I wonder if I was happy then, too."

"I don't know the rules."

"I don't, either."

They were both quiet for a moment, but then once again, Lillian broke the silence with another question.

"So if you don't believe in a life after this, what do you think will happen when you die?" she asked, looking at Ymed while pulling her knees to her chest.

"Well, first I'll be free of all of these complicated questions," he teased her, flashing her a bright grin. Lillian rolled her eyes at him. "But in all seriousness, I'm not so sure. Maybe…" He thought for a moment, and Lillian made a noise in her throat, as if to persuade him to speak. "…Maybe each of us are born with a specific purpose, you know? For instance, maybe my purpose in life is to be the greatest chef in the world."

Lillian let out a giggle, but Ymed shushed her, only half-serious.

"No, no, just let me finish," he insisted. "Say that's my life purpose. But what if, on my first try, I don't do it? What if I don't ever learn how to cook? Then in my next life, maybe I'm reborn as someone else more able to do so. And maybe that keeps repeating until, finally, I reach my goal. I become the greatest chef in the world, and then I die. And then…" He paused, looking out at the black waves. "And then I guess it's done."

"No Heaven?" Lillian asked quietly.

"Maybe?"

Lillian made a humming noise, thinking on his words. A life purpose? One for every single person? If that was true, what would hers be? She had no idea.

"If you're right, I must be failing miserably," she admitted with a sad laugh. "I have no idea what my purpose in life could possibly be. Besides what I can see in front of me, I feel as though I'm totally useless and can't achieve anything outside my realm of creativity, which is rather small, as you know."

"Some people may not even realize that much about themselves," Ymed said. "I know I'm the same way. Like what you just said, I see what's in front of me. But it's because the future…scares me. It always has."

"The future doesn't scare me… What's the word I'm looking for…? It's…" Lillian pressed her chin into her knees, searching for the right word. "…It requires so much of my effort. It's _tedious_."

Ymed chuckled quietly. "You and your apathy."

"Oh, don't give me that. You're just as bad." Lillian sighed. "But really, to me it's just such a mess, and I'd rather not be bothered with it. The things I can wait on, I'll wait on."

"The future's not necessarily guaranteed, either, though," he pointed out.

"That's true, but even if I die, surely there's something after that?"

"But you don't know for sure."

"No, I don't. But I'm willing to risk it."

Ymed sighed quietly, and the two fell silent again. They stayed silent for a much longer length of time this time, but neither of them were tired or dozed off even for a moment. Both of them were actively thinking so hard that they were practically driven to silence.

_Who am I, really_? Lillian wondered. _Have I always been this person? Or were there other versions of me before this life? Is this my last chance? Surely not. And even if it is, I'm still so young. I still have lots of wiggle room, so to speak. _

She glanced at Ymed out of the corner of her eye. He had one leg up on the seat of his chair, and his elbow resting on his knee. His gaze was turned out at the night sky, and she could see his expression well under the moonlight. He was obviously turning things over in his mind, too. Seeing him like that somehow made her happy, and she smiled a little, shifting her own line of vision out to the stars.

_…There has to be a reason for why I am here. And why things-strange things-keep happening to me. And why this sense of familiarity won't leave me alone, even here. Especially here. _

"I think…it's my turn to ask you a tough question," Ymed said suddenly, jolting Lillian out of her deep thoughts.

"Oh? And that would be?"

"Do you love me?"

His question completely threw Lillian off-guard, and her tongue was tied. She tried to grasp for words, but they simply were not there.

Had she even loved anyone in her entire life? Yes: her family, and Sara as her closest and most trusted friend. Was Ymed also one of those people?

"I …don't know," she admitted, and as soon as the words left her lips, she regretted them and felt as though she might burst into tears. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because I was curious as to what you would say," he replied, his tone so honest that Lillian's guilt only grew.

"To be honest… I've never really thought about it." She pulled her legs in tighter to her chest. "Even though you're always with me, it seems, I haven't given it much thought. I just…it feels natural to have you around, and I would feel empty without you here."

She felt herself blush, and at the risk of sounding stupid, she stopped talking. Ymed didn't say anything for a while, either.

"Do you love me?" she asked him, her curiosity piqued.

"…Honestly, Lillian, I'm still trying to figure out what the hell 'love' is," he replied, laughing quietly. "But…if it's what I think it is, then yes. I do love you."

Lillian wanted to scream. She felt like an absolute idiot.

_What am I even saying?!_ she raged in her head. _I do SO love him. But, as per usual, it seems I can't find the right words to say._ She suppressed a yawn, shaking her head a little. _Maybe when I'm not so sleep-drunk, I'll know what to say_.

But she didn't sleep. She couldn't fall asleep. And so the two of them stared up at the stars in silence until the sky slowly began to lighten.


	9. Chapter 9:Decided From the Beginning-END

Chapter 9: Decided From the Beginning -PART ONE FINALE

Memo: Ohhhh hohohohoho if only you all knew how long I've been waiting to write this scene. I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed part one of this saga. I know I did. I can't WAIT to start on the second part, but for now, enjoy this finale! And THANK YOU!

Lillian and Ymed rose from their chairs and stretched; in front of them was a blood red sky mixed with orange and pink. They both stopped and stared at it in wonder for a few short moments, then remembered their plans and went inside the beach house to re-gather supplies.

Neither of them talked much on the way to the dock. Lillian was still mulling over what to say to Ymed. The words were practically glued to her tongue, insistent on staying locked up inside for as long as they could.

_Never would have guessed it was this hard to say_, she realized as Ymed helped her into the small sailboat.

This was their trusty Phoenix, their lovely little sailboat that they used whenever they stayed at the beach house. It was a small boat, and very old, but it was just big enough for Lillian and Ymed (though a bit cozy), and it could hold a decent catch.

"It's kind of cool this morning," Ymed said quietly as Lillian pushed them off from the dock with her foot. "This shouldn't be such a waste of time."

"Well, either way, we've got time to kill," she pointed out, grinning as she carefully sat back down. Their backs faced each other as Ymed rowed them out farther from the coast. Soon the coastline was barely visible at all.

"I'll drop the anchor here," Ymed told Lillian as the latter started putting bait on the hooks. "It's far enough out."

Lillian nodded, smiling as she looked up at Ymed. Behind him, the sky was slowly changing. The reddish color was fading into purple, and clouds were beginning to form.

"It looks like rain," she said, making Ymed turn around. "That should really get the fish biting."

"Yeah, I guess so," Ymed agreed, nodding. Something in his tone was peculiar, but Lillian didn't bother asking. She felt she had pressed him enough for at least another full day.

Soon the two had their lines cast into the water, and back to back they sat, waiting for a bite. Over their heads, the clouds slowly transformed, clumping and tumbling together clumsily. The red color completely faded, and the purple changed into a dull grey.

_We talked so much last night that now I've no idea what to say_, Lillian thought, sighing through her nose. _I still feel like such a fool. How can I fix this? I can't lose him, especially to something so incredibly stupid_.

Suddenly, startling her a bit, Lillian felt a drop of water hit the very tip of her nose.

"Ah," she heard Ymed breath. "So I _did_ feel rain."

Slowly but surely, one drop doubled, tripled, and soon multiplied into a weak drizzle.

"We probably shouldn't stay out too much longer," Ymed advised.

"Yeah, I-!"

Before she could finish her thought, Lillian felt a tug at the end of her line.

"Oh, I've got one!" she exclaimed, overjoyed by the sudden change of luck. "Quick, help me reel it in!"

With help from Ymed, despite her broken arm, Lillian managed to reel in a small fish, perhaps seven inches in length. Still, it was a catch, and both of their spirits were lifted despite the strengthening downpour.

"Let's stay out a little longer," Lillian urged Ymed after he caught his first catch, a fish about the size of Lillian's. "The fish are stirring up in this rain."

"You're taking fish over getting soaked?" Ymed asked with a laugh, seeming genuinely amused.

"Well, we'd be wet getting back to shore anyway!"

"True, true…"

For several minutes the two sat, diligently waiting for the next catch. Ymed got his first, reeling in another decent sized fish.

"All right, all right," Lillian giggled, the wind blowing her hair out of her face. "Let me get just one more, and we can head back."

Ymed opened his mouth to reply, but a sudden rumble of thunder stole his words away.

"Uh-oh," Lillian breathed as a flash of lightning lit up the dark grey sky. Another rumble of thunder soon followed. "Guess that's our cue."

"Yeah, I'll pull up the anchor," Ymed said, reaching down to grab the rope. Lillian began to reel in her line when she heard Ymed swear quietly under his breath.

"What?" she murmured, turning back to him. She looked at his hand; the rope that had once been tied to their make-shift anchor had come unfurled; their anchor was likely at the bottom, buried in the sand.

Lillian's instinct to panic was quieted by the fact that she remembered being able to see the shoreline on her right. But when she turned to look, there was nothing but water and clouds as far as she could see. Even when she stood, she could see no signs of human life nearby.

"How far do you think we've drifted?" she asked, trying to stay calm. The thunder continuously sounding in the background didn't help her nerves.

"I have no idea," Ymed replied, completely soaked. "We've had the sail up this whole time."

Sure enough, Lillian looked up to see their little white sail blowing around in the wind. She stared at it for a moment, as if trying to find a sense of direction from it. But she couldn't find one.

"Let's just start rowing back in the direction we came from, as if we never moved," Ymed said, having to raise his voice over the sound of the storm. "If we don't see land soon, we'll keep turning to the right."

"All right!"

Feeling better with a plan in mind, Lillian sat down as Ymed tried to tie down the sail. Suddenly, a small wave hit the boat, and Ymed lost his balance.

"Ah!" Lillian cried, standing to catch him. But her sudden movement only worsened things, and soon the two went toppling into the water, their boat turning over.

Breaking through the surface of the water, Lillian gasped for breath. Turning left and right, she looked for Ymed, and in a few seconds he popped up beside her.

"Get back to the boat," he urged her, holding onto her wrist that wasn't covered in a cast. Together they swam back to their overturned Phoenix; some of their supplies passed them.

"Do you think we can turn it back over?" Lillian asked, shivering in the cold water as she grasped the side of the boat.

"Maybe, but-"

Interrupted once again, Ymed held Lillian close as a large wave hit them. Lillian's already weak grip on the boat loosened, and they tumbled through the water. When they broke the surface again, their boat was several feet away.

"Oh gosh," Lillian said quietly, fighting the waves and the urge to cry with all of her strength.

"It's all right," Ymed assured her. "It's going to be all right. We need to get back to the boat-"

Again, a large wave knocked into them. Lillian felt Ymed's grip on her wrist loosen, but she caught his hand and grasped for it. She could stand to lose the boat; Ymed was another story.

_What's going to happen to us_? Lillian wondered as she broke the water's surface again to greet the raging storm.

"Don't give up!" Ymed told her, gripping her hand tightly.

"What do we do?" she asked him, trying not to panic. But when Ymed had no immediate answer, the tears fell from her eyes at last, mixing with the rain. "_What_ do we _do_!?"

He didn't answer, and he knew he couldn't, and she did too. Sobbing, Lillian reached out with her bound hand and grasped Ymed's soaked t-shirt. Ymed, in turn, pulled her closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Don't let go of me, all right?" he told her. "I'm going to try to swim. We'll be all right."

"No, we won't," Lillian said quietly through her sobs. "No, we _won't_."

Ymed pulled back to look at her; his words had obviously been to give her strength, because there was none left in his eyes. She couldn't tell for sure, but she suspected that he, too, was in tears.

"…I'll be damned if I lose you like this," he said quietly, and he began to swim, to fight against the waves. "I'll be _damned_!"

As much as she could, Lillian swam with him, and had the waves maybe been smaller or weaker, maybe they could have made progress. But nothing but water and rain surrounded them.

_I want to see my brother_, Lillian thought, tears pouring down her face with the rain. _I want to see Jimmy, and Mum and Pop. I want to see Sara. _

Squinting through the rain, Lillian looked up at Ymed's face, and she could see how tirelessly he was fighting through the ocean's waves. But it was useless. It was useless.

"It's not going to work," she whispered, and Ymed looked at her, his turquoise eyes wide. He seemed to understand what she meant-that she was right. "It's not going to work."

Ymed said nothing, but he stopped swimming, and once again he gripped Lillian tightly against his chest. Before closing her eyes and burying her face into him, she saw from the corner of her eye their boat, the Phoenix, being torn to pieces by an approaching wave.

_We're going to die_, she realized, covering her face.

Lillian wondered if Ymed had felt the same pain she did when the shards of their sailboat came crashing into them. She felt herself bleeding. She felt herself dying. She felt Ymed fall away from her, and she felt his hands slip out of hers. Or maybe it was the other way around.

_No, wait_, she thought in her last waking moments, opening her eyes to a red sea surrounding her. _Come back. I never told him_.

Between the pain in her body and the pain in her heart, Lillian let out her last breath, and her body was lost with Ymed's into the waves.

She was then born into silence.


End file.
